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Chair and sofa springs are different than you might think. Instead of the snakelike wire that coils vertically, chair springs are flat and stretch horizontally from side to side across the chair seat. They are stretched under pressure with a special hand tool and stapled on both sides with a large staple gun. If the installation of the spring isn't perfect, the chair was abused or the wood framework didn't hold the staple securely, the bracket holding the spring can come loose on one side. This makes the seat sag or get soft on one side or in the middle. Grab some basic tools to repair the chair spring and you'll be sitting comfortably in no time.

1

Tip the chair upside down. Loosen the six or so screws that pass vertically up through the framework using a drill/driver to free the chair pan from the chair. The chair pan is a wooden box that contains the springs. The foam and fabric are also attached to the top of the chair pan.

2

Place the chair pan upside down. Pull the staples holding the light fabric to the bottom of the chair pan with a staple puller and remove the fabric to reveal the springs. It should be obvious which spring has come off -- the one hanging loose on one side.

3

Pry off a metal bracket on the side of the chair pan where the spring came off with a screwdriver. Use diagonal pliers, also called cutting pliers or wire cutters, to remove the large staple that remains in the side of the chair pan.

4

Bend the bracket back into shape with a pair of pliers so it resembles the other brackets. The bracket should have two flat wings on it. Drill a hole through each wing with a drill/driver and 1/8-inch bit. Using the other brackets for reference, hook the curved end of the spring through a hole in the center of the bracket.

5

Hook a large C-clamp onto the spring. Hook it onto any one of the coils that's convenient near the bracket. Place the other end of the clamp -- the end with the handle -- on the outside of the chair pan frame.

6

Tighten the clamp slowly until the spring is stretched and the bracket is touching the side of the frame. Place one 3/4-inch wood screw in each hole. Drive them in tightly with the drill/driver to secure the bracket to the chair pan. Remove the clamp.

7

Stretch the light fabric back over the bottom of the chair pan and staple it in place with a stapler.

8

Place the chair pan back into the chair frame. Place the original screws into the holes in the frame and drive them in to secure the chair pan back into the frame to finish.

Things You Will Need

Drill/driver

Staple puller

Screwdriver

Diagonal pliers

Pliers

Drill bit, 1/8-inch

C-clamp

Wood screws, 3/4-inch

Stapler

Staples, 1/4-inch leg, 3/8-inch crown

Tips

Check all of the brackets for tightness. If you find any that seem loose, drill and place screws in them too. When you have the seat pan off it will give you access to the staples that hold the fabric to the top of the seat. If your fabric has loosened, you can pull it tighter and re-staple it before putting the chair pan back into the seat.

Some older chairs may not have a seat pan. If this is the case, the springs are attached directly to the chair frame. The procedure for reattaching the spring is exactly the same.

Warning

Chair springs are stretched tight. Be careful that the clamp doesn't slip off. Springs can have sharp ends.

About the Author

Specializing in hardwood furniture, trim carpentry, cabinets, home improvement and architectural millwork, Wade Shaddy has worked in homebuilding since 1972. Shaddy has also worked as a newspaper reporter and writer, and as a contributing writer for Bicycling Magazine. Shaddy began publishing in various magazines in 1992, and published a novel, “Dark Canyon,” in 2008.